History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

ITS ADVANTAGES FOR MANUFAOTURING. 59
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS OF SPRINGFIELD.
THE SPRINGFIELD HOME FOR THE FRIEND- Any person may become an annual
LESS. member by payment of one dollar; and
By Mr. J. A. Chesnut. may become a life member by payment
The origin of this institution may be of ten dollars at one time.
traced to a conversation in the year 1862, The corporation is authorized to rebetween two citizens of Springfield, both ceive and hold, either by gift, purchase,
now deceased. In that conversation Dr. devise, bequest or otherwise, any real or
Lathrop said to LHon. Antrim Campbell personal estate in aid of its objects.
that he knew of fifty children in one The board of managers is the legal
neighborhood, within the city, needing guardian of all children placed in its
charitable aid. This information moved charge, according to the charter, and
the ever charitable mind of Mr. Camp- may bind them out to any honorable
bell to seek and put in operation some trade or employment.
plan of relief for these and other chil- The father, if living and crippled, may
dren of the city in like condition. surrender his child to the Home. If he
Mr. Campbell, to carry out the plan of has absconded, or is otherwise incapable,
relief he had matured, applied to the the mother can make the surrender.
Legislature for an act to incorporate a In certain cases, the Judge of a Court
board of lady managers of an institution of Record, the Mayor of the city of
with the above title. The act was duly Springfield, or any justice of the peace
passed, and approved on the 12th of within the city, may make such surrender.'Feb'y, 1863. This is not a Home exclusively for orThe ladies named in the act who were Tphan children, but for friendless and indito serve as managers until the first Mon- gent children. It is not intended to be a
day in January, 1864, were: Mrs. Eliza
Pope, Mrs. Mercy Conkling, Mrs. Louisa permanent Home, but a place of temporary refuge and provision, and until
Draper, Mrs. Susan Cook, Mrs. Lydia other good homes can be procured for
Williams, Mrs. Elizabeth Bunn, Mrs. Har- them.
riet Campbell, Miss Ann Eastman, Mrs. The first meeting under the act of inMaria Lathrop, Mrs. Mary Hay, Mrs. corporation was held at the residence of
Catharine Hickox, zMrs. Mary t Ann Den- Hon. J. C. Conkling, on the 9th March,
nis and Mrs. Elizabeth Matheny. -1863. At this meeting both Judge Treat
The act of incorporation made Hon. S. and Mr. Passfield declined the offices for
H. Treat, first President; Geo. Passfield, which they had been named in the charsr., first Vice-President; Geo. P. Bowen, ter; thereupon S. H. Melvin was elected
first Secretary; and Jacob Bunn, first President, and James Campbell ViceTreasurer. President.
The second section of the charter de- The board being now organized, began
clares the object of the incorporation to arrangements for procuring ground and
be " the relieving, aiding and providing building. Major E. Iles donated an enhomes for friendless and indigent women tire square on South Grand Avenue, beand children." tween 7th and 8th streets. A subscrip